Brightpoint Community College, formerly John Tyler Community College, is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...

community college A community college is a type of undergraduate higher education institution, generally leading to an associate degree, certificate, or diploma. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an open enr ...

in central Virginia. It has two campuses: one in

Chester, Virginia Chester is a census-designated place (CDP) in Chesterfield County, Virginia, Chesterfield County, Virginia, United States. Per the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 23,414. History Chester's original "downtown" was a st ...

, and one in Midlothian, Virginia.

History

The college opened in 1967 and was named after

John Tyler John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth president of the United States, serving from 1841 to 1845, after briefly holding office as the tenth vice president of the United States, vice president in 1841. He was elected ...

, the tenth president of the United States and a Virginian. In July 2021, the Virginia State Board of Community Colleges renamed local institutions formerly named for enslavers or

segregationists Racial segregation is the separation of people into racial or other ethnic groups in daily life. Segregation can involve the spatial separation of the races, and mandatory use of different institutions, such as schools and hospitals by people ...

. The board allowed the college to rename itself Brightpoint Community College. Instead of venerating Tyler, a slave holder who sided with the

Confederacy A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a political union of sovereign states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...

during the Civil War, the name ''"celebrates the heart and energy of heinstitution"''. Additionally, names were redesignated for campus buildings and streets, including

Bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...

Hall and Godwin Hall, both of which are named after Virginia politicians who supported racial segregation.

Academics

The college is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) is a regional educational accreditor recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. As of 2022, the organization oversees ap ...

and offers 17 associate degree programs, eight certificate programs, and 36 career studies certificate programs. In addition, the college has transfer degree programs that transfer into bachelor's degree programs that are mainly first- and second-year-student level classes. During the 2010–2011 academic year, the college served more than 14,500 students. The institution also serves 15,000 non-credit students and more than 1,000 companies and government agencies annually through the Community College Workforce Alliance. John Tyler is the first college in the

Virginia Community College System The Virginia Community College System (VCCS) oversees a network of 23 community colleges in Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlant ...

to be recognized for its sustainability efforts. In July 2010, it received a

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a Green building certification systems, green building certification program used worldwide. Developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), it includes a set of rating ...

(LEED) Silver Certification for its Midlothian Campus Science Building.

Locations

The Community College has two campuses – one in

, and one in

Midlothian, Virginia Midlothian ( ) is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated area and census-designated place in Chesterfield County, Virginia, U.S. Settled as a coal town, Midlothian village experienced suburbanization effects and is now part of t ...

. The college's Nursing Education Center is located on the Johnston-Willis Campus of CJW Medical Center. It serves the cities of Colonial Heights, Hopewell, and Petersburg and the counties of Amelia, Charles City, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex.

References

External links

* {{authority control Virginia Community College System Education in Richmond, Virginia Universities and colleges established in 1967 Universities and colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Education in Chesterfield County, Virginia 1967 establishments in Virginia Two-year colleges in the United States